How to remove tax from current sale

[jdpprintmaking]

When making a sale via the iPad app, I used to be able to swipe the sales tax line item and remove the tax from that one sale. I was able to do that last time I used the app in April. However, I can no longer do that (version 6.73sw), and the only option I'm given is to turn tax off entirely. I think (but not sure) that the last time was before the introduction of modes. What happened?

I sell at art markets and to simplify the change situation I eat the sales tax on cash orders but not card, so it was extremely helpful to be able to simply delete the sales tax for single purchases. Otherwise I'm having to turn sales tax off entirely, and then remember to turn it back on for the next sale.

[HC_Charlie]

Hello @jdpprintmaking thanks for your post. If you're not able to edit the sales tax during checkout, you could do this by creating a separate item, but mark that item something like "cash sale-no tax" and turn that item's sales tax off during the creation of that item. Just a warning, you'd then have to balance two items and that could affect your inventory reporting if you carefully track inventories.

I'd also caution that if you're "eating the sales tax" that you rather say you're including the sales tax within the cash price. I'm not sure what state you're working with, but I'm sure their sales tax collection rules would also require taxes to be collected and remitted on both cash and credit card sales. You would best be protected by "including the sales tax in cash sales". If you wanted to officially go this route, you can set up a tax within Square that would show the tax is "inclusive" and it would also show that way on your reporting. (But if your goal is the have your sale as an even number so you don't have to deal with change, you'd have to calculate the sales tax rate, deduct that from the sales price. This way the total price with the sales tax included would be your final even numbered sales price. Hope this makes sense.)

[TheRealChipA]

Hi @jdpprintmaking.. I just fired up the latest version of the Square Retail app (6.76.1w), added an item to the cart and swiped left on the sales tax line.  I was given the option to delete the tax from that single transaction.  So, the functionality exists, but maybe the way to turn it off at the transaction level just changed?  Either that or there was a bug in your version and you need to upgrade.

[jdpprintmaking]

So I updated to that version and still no luck 😕 It does feel like a settings issue but I can’t find anything that looks applicable 

[TheRealChipA]

This is very strange.  I'm not sure why I can swipe and remove it from the cart, but you can't.  So, I'm going to tag some Square moderators.  Maybe they can help.  Can you post the device and OS version you are using?

@Kassi_@RSosebee1@_Violet@MayaP@Summer2024@Summer2024@Ellie_@Katie_SQ@Laurie_@Sammie_C

[jdpprintmaking]

Looks like I was wrong about turning off the tax not resetting; I did it for a transaction and after completing it the tax was back on for the next one. It’s just unfortunate to lose the quick swipe

[MayaP]

Hey @jdpprintmaking, thank you for your patience. Just to confirm, are you now seeing the option to turn off tax on individual items? I tested this on my Retail app and was able to. If you still need any assistance, please feel free to tag me 😊

[jdpprintmaking]

Hi Maya. I can tap the tax line and remove the tax from the sale from the popup, that is confirmed. The confusion now is about the old functionality, being able to remove the tax by swiping on it like you can items in the sale: that is missing for me but others seem to be able to do it. 

I noted that the swiping last worked for me back in April, I believe before the device mode feature was added to the app. 

Square v6.76.1sw

iPadOS v18.5 (22F76)

iPad mini 6th generation

[MayaP]

Thanks for confirming. I just tried this again on my Retail app and was able to remove it by swiping. Please make sure your app and device are up to date, and try deleting and reinstalling the app. If the issue continues, you can send a video of what you’re seeing and I’ll investigate further.

@jdpprintmaking 

[JTPets]

I would 100% suggest you speak to a tax expert because what you are doing is going to get you in hot water sometime down the road and it will be a nightmare when it does.

If you are eating the tax and tax is 10% you should offer a 10% discount prior to tax being added to the bill. Or ring up order and tax is calculated as $2.25, go give a discount of $2.25

Anything else will get you in hot water with the goverment and that is bad new.

[MayaP]

Thank you @JTPets!! This is great advice 🙌